The Gospel According to Mark is the
second book of the New Testament and the sixty-eighth book of the Bible. It is
the shortest of the four Gospels and it is thought to have been written by Mark,
a close disciple of Peter who wrote down the stories that Peter told about
Jesus. For some time it was believed to have been a summary of the Gospel of
Matthew. However, Bible scholars now believe that it is the oldest of the four
gospels, predating Matthew’s gospel by two to four years.
Mark begins with Jesus’ baptism by
John the Baptist and follows His story through to His ascension. While Matthew
focuses keenly on the Davidic heritage and prophecy fulfillment of Jesus, Mark
focuses on Jesus’ actions among the people as seen through miracles. The
general feeling one has when reading the Gospel is that Jesus loved the world
very much. Because it was likely written to a Gentile church, perhaps one in
Rome, it is possible that Mark presents Jesus in this way as an assurance to
the Gentile people of Jesus’ love for them. The incredible three year ministry
of Jesus is presented in a matter-of-fact way that keeps Mark’s book short, but
holds the reader’s interest from the beginning to the end.
A
resounding quality of the gospel of Mark is the sense of urgency it instills in
the heart of the reader. Jesus’ first words recorded in the book are, “The time
is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the
gospel.” This sentence sets the scene for the rest of the book. The words of
Jesus are not alone in their urgency. We are reacquainted with the emotion in
chapter 5 when we read of the woman with the issue of blood. “When she had
heard of Jesus, (she) came in the press behind, and touched his garment. For
she said, ‘If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.’” In fact, as we
read through the gospel we see desperation in many of the characters we are
introduced to, including the Syrophenician woman, Jarius, and the woman who
anointed Jesus’ feet. Finally, the urgency of the book is epitomized in the
final commission Jesus gives His disciples before he leaves the earth. “Go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And
these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out
devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on
the sick, and they shall recover.” With this ending, Mark does two things: 1)
he reminds us of the urgency of the world’s need and tells us to be not idle
but active, and 2) he empowers us to reach the world the same way Jesus did:
with love and miracles.
In
conclusion, although the Gospel According to Mark leaves out the birth,
heritage, and early life of Jesus, it does not lose its power. Mark begins each
story with a problem and shows what Jesus did to take care of it. Jesus is the anecdote to the world’s poisonous sin, sickness, deprivation, and
depression. Mark presents Jesus to the reader as a healer and deliverer.
Finally, he reminds us that if we follow Him, we have His power.
